Trotting-horse saddles

ABSTRACT

A saddle for a trotting-horse comprises two superimposed straps secured together, the upper strap being separated from the lower strap at two points so as to form two D-shaped openings disposed one on each side of the horse, and adapted to receive the shafts of a sulky pulled by the horse.

United States Patent Dykman 1 June 27, 1972 [54] TROTTlNG-HORSE SADDLES2] Inventor: lb t 1 ExkmaaNo- 2 zll-Ashb iw New Zealand [22] Filed: June22,1970

21] Appl.No.: 48,314

[52] U.S. (I 54/2, 54/39 [5 l Int. B68b 01/00 [58] Field of Search"54/2, 39, 43, 50

[56] I References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 543,737 7/1895 Jacquot..54/2

3,270,488 9/1966 535,234 Bill 895 Beach .54/ 39 Albee et al ..54/2

Primary Examiner-Hugh R. Chamblee Attorney-Spensley, Horn and Lubitz[57] ABSTRACT A saddle for a trotting-horse comprises two superimposedstraps secured together, the upper strap being separated from the lowerstrap at two points so as to form two D-shaped openings disposed one oneach side of the horse, and adapted to receive the shafts of a sulkypulled by the horse.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures P'A'TENTEDJURN I912 F II II TROTTING-HORSESADDLES The invention relates to saddles used on trotting-horses tosupport the shafts of sulkies pulled by the horses.

A conventional saddle comprises a tree of wood or metal covered withleather, which is attached to a horse by means of a girth strap, and isadapted to support the shafts of a sulky pulled by the horse by means oftwo straps connected to and depending from two rings screwed into thesaddle, one on each side of the horse. These support straps areconnected to the shafts of the sulky by means of D-shaped ringsadjustably secured to said straps, and adapted to slidably engage theshafts of the sulky.

A second girth strap attached to the shafts of the sulky is provided tohold down the shafts of the sulky, as they tend to lift when a driver isseated on the sulky.

Also connected to the saddle are an overcheck strap and a crupper strap,which extend forwardly and rearwardly respectively from two ringsscrewed into the central portion of the saddle, and two straps adaptedto stop forward movement of the shafts of the sulky, which extendforwardly and downwardly from two rings screwed into the saddle abovethe rings for the straps adapted to support the shafts of the sulky.

Two more rings adapted to guide reins for the horse are screwed into thesaddle above the rings for the straps adapted to stop forward movementof the shafts of the sulky.

The conventional saddle has the disadvantages that there is anobjectionable number of moving parts, that it does not conform closelywith the shape of the horse, and that the rings for the support straps,the stop straps, and the reins are broken off if the horse rolls.

The object of the present invention is the provision of a saddle that issimpler, lighter, more comfortable, and more robust.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description.

According to the invention, a saddle for a trotting-horse comprises twosuperimposed straps secured together, the upper strap being separatedfrom the lower strap at two points so as to form two D-shaped openingsdisposed one on each side of the horse, and adapted to receive theshafts of a sulky pulled by the horse.

Preferably, the two superimposed straps are adapted at each end portionto be adjustably secured to a separate girth strap, so that the girthstrap can be tightened from either side of the horse.

Preferably, also, an oval metal ring is secured between the twosuperimposed straps in the center thereof, so as to form two D-shapedrings extending from opposite edges of the saddle, and the limbs of fourU-shaped metal rods are inserted through eight holes formed in the upperstrap and are rigidly secured to two metal plates secured between thetwo superimposed straps, so as to form two upstanding D-shaped ringsbetween the center of the saddle and each one of the D- shaped openingstherein.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a front or rear elevation of a saddle according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the saddle when fitted to atrotting-horse; and

FIG. 4 is a front or rear elevation thereof.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a saddle indicatedgenerally at for a trotting-horse 11 comprises two superimposed leatherstraps l2 and 13 sewn together, the upper strap 12 being separated fromthe lower strap 13 at two points so as to form two D-shaped openings 14disposed one on each side of the horse 11, and adapted to receive theshafts 15 of a sulky (not shown) pulled by the horse 11.

The two superimposed straps l2 and 13 are adapted at each end portion 16to be adjustably secured to a separate girth strap 17 provided with aconventional buckle 18 at each end, so that the girth strap 17 can betightened from either side of the horse 11.

An oval metal ring is secured between the two superimposed straps 12 and13 in the center thereof, so as to form two D-shaped rings 19 extendingfrom opposite edges of the saddle 10, and the limbs of four U-shapedmetal rods are inserted through eight holes formed in the upper strap 12and are welded to two metal plates secured between the two superimposedstraps 12 and 13, so as to form two upstanding D- shaped rings 20 and 21between the center of the saddle 10 and each one of the D-shapedopenings 14 therein.

Conventional leather rivets 22 may be used to reinforce the stitching 23of the saddle 10 adjacent the D-shaped openings 14, and the D-shapedrings 19, 20, and 21.

In operation, the saddle 10 is attached to the horse 11 by means of thegirth strap 17, and the shafts 15 of the sulky (not shown) are passedthrough the D-shaped openings therein.

An overcheck strap 24 is connected to the forwardly extending D-shapedring 19 in the center of the saddle l0, and a crupper strap 25 isconnected to the rearwardly extending D- shaped ring 19 in the center ofthe saddle 10.

Two straps 26 adapted to stop forward movement of the shafts 15 of thesulky (not shown) are connected to the two upstanding D-shaped rings 20disposed adjacent the D-shaped openings 14 in the saddle l0, and reins27 for the horse 11 are passed through the other two upstanding D-shapedrings 21.

As the girth strap 17 is invariably tightened from one side of the horse11 only, the saddle is reversed from time to time so as to equalize thewear on the two end portions 16 of the saddle 10.

The fixed height of the D-shaped openings 14 in the saddle 10 is not adisadvantage as most trotting-horses 1 l are approximately equal size,and any horse 11 not conforming to the standard size can be easilyprovided with a special saddle.

The saddle 10 is formed by sewing together two leather straps 12 and 13in preference to sewing two separate pieces of leather onto a singleleather strap, so that the shafts 15 of the sulky (not shown) are notcompletely released if the stitching 23 adjacent the D-shaped openings14 breaks.

A felt pad 28 may be placed under the saddle 10 if required.

In a modification, the two upstanding D-shaped rings 20, to which thetwo straps 26 adapted to stop forward movement of the shafts 15 of thesulky (not shown) are connected, are each replaced by two D-shaped rings29 extending from opposite edges of the saddle 10, see FIG. 2 of theaccompanying drawings.

It will of course be obvious that the two superimposed straps 12 and 13may be made from materials other than leather.

The saddle 10 provided by the invention is simpler, lighter, morerobust, more comfortable, and cheaper to produce than the conventionalsaddle, and it also facilitates attachment and detachment of the sulky.

Many details of the saddle 10 hereinbefore described can of course bemodified without departing from the ambit of the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. A saddle for a trotting-horse, comprising two superimposed strapssecured together, the upper strap being separated from the lower strapat two points so as to form two D-shaped openings disposed one on eachside of the horse, and adapted to receive the shafts of a sulky pulledby the horse,

said two superimposed straps adapted at each end portion to beadjustably secured to a separate girth strap, so that the girth strapcan be tightened from either side of the horse,

an oval metal ring secured between said two superimposed straps in thecenter thereof, so as to form two D-shaped rings extending from oppositeedges of the saddle, and four U-shaped metal rods having their limbsinserted through eight holes formed in the upper strap and rigidlysecured to two metal plates secured between the two superimposed straps,so as to fonn two upstanding D- shaped rings between the center of thesaddle and each one of the D-shaped openings therein. 2. A saddleaccording to claim 1, wherein the two upstanding D-shaped rings adjacentthe two D-shaped openings in-the saddle are each replaced by twoD-shaped rings extending from opposite edges of the saddle.

'0 I I t

1. A saddle for a trotting-horse, comprising two superimposed strapssecured together, the upper strap being separated from the lower strapat two points so as to form two D-shaped openings disposed one on eachsidE of the horse, and adapted to receive the shafts of a sulky pulledby the horse, said two superimposed straps adapted at each end portionto be adjustably secured to a separate girth strap, so that the girthstrap can be tightened from either side of the horse, an oval metal ringsecured between said two superimposed straps in the center thereof, soas to form two D-shaped rings extending from opposite edges of thesaddle, and four U-shaped metal rods having their limbs inserted througheight holes formed in the upper strap and rigidly secured to two metalplates secured between the two superimposed straps, so as to form twoupstanding D-shaped rings between the center of the saddle and each oneof the D-shaped openings therein.
 2. A saddle according to claim 1,wherein the two upstanding D-shaped rings adjacent the two D-shapedopenings in the saddle are each replaced by two D-shaped rings extendingfrom opposite edges of the saddle.